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Friday, March 16, 2012

Delaware Man Pleads Guilty to Transportation of Child Pornography

A New Castle, Del., man pleaded guilty today to one count of transportation of child pornography, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Charles M. Oberly III of the District of Delaware and Special Agent in Charge Richard A. McFeely of the FBI’s Baltimore Division.

David Osborn, 40, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard G. Andrews in the District of Delaware.

According to statements made at today’s hearing and documents filed in court, Osborn was identified by the FBI through reports of child pornography trafficking provided by AOL LLC to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Under federal law, internet service providers, such as AOL, are required to report suspected child pornography being transmitted over their servers to NCMEC, which then directs these “cybertips” to the appropriate law enforcement agency. AOL reported that a particular online username, later linked to Osborn, had been used to trade images of child pornography with another computer user in South Florida.

On May 26, 2011, federal agents executed a search warrant at Osborn’s New Castle residence and arrested Osborn after finding more than 700 images of child pornography on his computer equipment. Law enforcement agents also searched Osborn’s email account, which was found to contain numerous images of child pornography. Osborn’s child pornography collection included images of girls, ranging from prepubescence to mid-teen age, engaged in various sexual acts or posing lasciviously. Forensic data found on the equipment indicated that Osborn had been receiving and distributing images of child pornography for a number of years. Also found on Osborn’s computer equipment were more than 500 internet chat logs between Osborn and others regarding child sexual exploitation.

According to information provided at court hearings, in the past, Osborn worked as a school bus driver, substitute teacher and with the Newport, Del., chapter of Job’s Daughters, a youth organization for girls.

At sentencing, Osborn faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Osborn also faces a term of supervised release following his prison sentence of five years to life, and will be required to register as a sex offender in any jurisdiction in which he lives, works, or attends school. Osborn has been detained since his May 26, 2011, arrest.

This case is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. McAndrew of the District of Delaware and Trial Attorney Andrew McCormack of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

For more information about reporting online child exploitation to the national CyberTipline, visit the NCMEC’s website at: www.missingkids.com. For more information about the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood program, visit www.justice.gov/psc.